


Sanctuary

by onthedriftinthetardis (on_the_drift)



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Post-Episode: s02e08: The Impossible Planet, Snogging, There was only one bunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27898270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/on_the_drift/pseuds/onthedriftinthetardis
Summary: Stranded under a black hole without the TARDIS and with a murderer apparently loose on the base, the Doctor and Rose are escorted to the lower habitation level by Ida. Shenanigans ensue.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 13
Kudos: 49





	Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kelkat9](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/gifts).



> Kelkat9 prompted:  
> Marriage of Convenience / Tentacles LOL pairing of your choice.
> 
> Hahahaha! (*wanders off muttering and pulling at hair*)
> 
> Fiiiiine. Here you go! (^_-)
> 
> Ten x Rose, just over a thousand words. For the Mixed trope meme started by Lostinfic on Tumblr.
> 
> And it's taken me slightly less than a year to realize I never posted this ficlet to ao3. Oops.

The curved hull door clanged shut above them, shutting out the terrible view of the mechanic floating between them and the black hole. Mr. Jefferson delivered an impromptu but poignant eulogy for the 20-year-old girl, and the remaining crew returned to their duty stations. All except for Ida, who took the Doctor and Rose aside. 

“You two should rest while you can,” said Ida. The mysterious couple turned towards her, Rose looking sad and scared, and the Doctor with a thousand-yard stare. Ida couldn’t blame them, but she couldn’t let them shut down like they’d shut down the tentacle-faced Ood. Like she wanted to shut down. She tried again.“Morning shift starts at six sharp, and you’ll want to be rested for working in the laundry.”

Rose’s shoulders seemed to slump just a little at this, but the Doctor shifted his gaze to Ida sharply. “But you’ve hit bottom,” he said, and for a moment, Ida wasn’t sure how he knew. Then she realized what he meant. 

“We need to let the drill apparatus cool for four hours. Then Zach and I will be going down there to see what’s to be seen. You’re welcome to monitor the expedition on audio channel 2." 

The Doctor nodded. "Well, we’d all better get some rest, then." 

Ida nodded back approvingly. "Right then, follow me.” She led them through two of the wheel-locked steel doors of Sanctuary Base to a habitation level they hadn’t previously seen. Ida stopped at the first door down the corridor and turned to look at them. 

“You’re married?” she asked tentatively. 

Rose started to answer, but the Doctor quickly interrupted. 

“Yes!” he said with a manic grin. And before Rose could even react, he gathered her in a tight hug and whispered, lips brushing her ear, “Play along,” before releasing her, taking her hand and twining his fingers in hers. 

“Thought so,” Ida smiled. “The way you are with each other, you’d almost have to be, wouldn’t you?”

The Doctor laughed gamely, and Rose followed him. “Newlyweds,” the Doctor confided. “Just three months.”

Ida led them to the next door and unlocked it with a chip she then handed to the Doctor. “Make yourselves at home, as much as you can. See you in a few hours.” she said, and returned the way they’d come. 

The Doctor opened the door and gestured for Rose to go inside. She did, and started to say something, but the Doctor put his finger on his lips and made a shushing sound. Rose wrinkled her brow quizzically, but quieted until he could explain what the blazes was going on. 

When Ida shut the first door behind her, Rose asked, “So… what was that all about, then?" 

"Erm…" 

"Doctor?" 

"Wellllll…,” he said, scratching his ear, “the accommodations on these bases are rather spartan for singles. Married couples are expected to stay longer, so they get their own ensuites and so on." 

"And… one bed,” said Rose pointedly, nodding towards the object in question. 

The Doctor thought he saw a slight flush on her cheeks and neck. On the one hand, this made him more nervous, but on the other hand, it gave him hope. He ran his hand through his hair “Rose, before I answer that, I have to tell you something…and you’re not going to like it." 

"Doctor, what is it?” said Rose with an edge to her voice. 

“I’m going to take the captain’s place on the team in the morning.”

“What?!" 

"I’m going to go down to the bottom of the drill shaft with Ida.”

“You can’t!" 

"I have to.”

“But… why? And what about the voice, and the Ood?” Rose swallowed, her voice suddenly strained with unshed tears. The Doctor hugged her tightly. 

“Oh Rose… I don’t want to leave you here, but I have to go. It’s my only chance of finding the TARDIS. She’s down there somewhere, still alive — I can sense her.”

“Then I’ll come with you!” she said insistently. 

The Doctor pulled back to look at her. He thought she had never been more beautiful to him.

“There are only oxygen cables for two people. Besides!” he said hurriedly, as Rose looked like she was going to interrupt, “I need you to stay up here and keep an eye on things. If everything goes pear-shaped, I have to know someone’s got my back. All right?" 

Rose still looked like she was going to object. So the Doctor did the only thing he could think of to stop her. He took her face in his hands and he kissed her. His lips were soft but insistent, and after a moment of resistance, the dam broke, and she kissed him back fervently. He matched her intensity, pouring two years of pent-up heat and longing into the kiss. He ran his hands through her hair as his tongue prodded gently at her lips, coaxing her to open to him. She moaned into his mouth. 

To his surprise and dismay, she broke away from him and pulled back. "Oi, this just isn’t fair!” she complained. Then he smiled at her, that brilliant liquid smile he’d given her when he’d just changed his face, and he’d been drunk on regeneration energy. And Rose melted back into his embrace. 

They carried on kissing for what seemed like hours, hands growing bolder, until they finally drew back to look at each other in appreciative amazement. 

“So, I can’t help but notice that there’s still only one bed,” observed Rose with a tongue-touched smile. 

“See? That’s one of the things I love about you, Rose Tyler. Your observational skills are absolutely top-banana!” The Doctor grinned. 

“Cheeky!” Rose laughed, running one hand down his back to squeeze a handful of Time Lord cheek. 

The Doctor jumped and giggled, but made no move to stop her when she turned her grip into a caress and pulled him against her. 

“Shall I make another observation?” Rose asked, her voice like dark silk. 

“No need,” the Doctor answered in a gravelly tone. 

Rose grabbed his tie and pulled him down on the bed.


End file.
